The list of candidates to replace Oronde Bascome as skipper of Bermuda’s Under 19 national cricket team has now been narrowed down to two.

Bascome quit the national programme for undisclosed reasons earlier this year and according to assistant coach Arnold Manders the two players now most likely to get the nod are promising all-rounders Malachi Jones and Rodney Trott.

Despite their still tender years both players already have plenty of experience playing domestically at the senior level under their belts and have also sampled a taste of international cricket with the senior team on overseas tours.

Jones and Trott are also both former captains of the Island’s Under-15 team. And it is perhaps for these reasons why the two promising cricketers find themselves at the top of the list for the captaincy of a team that will be among the favourites to qualify for next year’s Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia later this summer in Toronto.

“We haven’t decided anything yet. But most likely it is going to be between Rodney and Malachi who have both captained the Under-15 national team in the past,” Manders said.

Both players have been integral members of the squad currently holding their own in the Premier Division and have starred with both bat and ball.

Only last weekend Trott claimed two wickets and then hammered an unbeaten half century (76) to inspire the youngsters to a three-wicket win over St.George’s at Wellington Oval — the team’s second win in top flight cricket this season.

“These matches for sure have set us on the right track for when we get to Barbados and then Toronto for the Americas championships. And I think the guys are improving every week,” Manders said.

In terms of bowling and fielding, Manders gives his young charges the thumbs up. But if there is one area that concerns the former Western Stars and national team captain most, it is the team’s frontline batsmen who he has called on to be more patient at the crease and wiser in their shot selection.

“We just need our early-order batsmen to keep going once they get set,” Manders said.

“I think they need to improve on their shot selection because this is how they are getting out. “They are still a bit inconsistent but seem to be getting better. And I think we probably have the best bowling attack in the Island right now and the best fielding team in the league.”

Overall, Manders and fellow assistants Clevie Wade and brother Andre have been encouraged by the level of commitment shown by their players in training — a trend they hope to see continue.

“They have improved a lot and have trained very hard and once you train like that sooner or later they are going to reap the rewards which hopefully will be in Canada,” Manders said.

Bermuda’s Under-19 national squad depart for Barbados on July 7 to compete again at the Sir Gary Sobers Schools Tournament — a tournament that saw the Island finish runner’s up last summer among formidable opposition.

Yet while Manders expects his team to make a good account of themselves in the Caribbean next month, the emphasis, he stressed, will not be placed solely on winning but rather on giving all team members a good opportunity to impress the selectors just weeks ahead of World Cup qualifiers in Toronto.

“We are going to use this tournament (Sobers) as a training camp basically to give everyone the chance to play,” he added.

The Island’s Under-19s go in search of win number three for the season at St.John’s Field today against a Western Stars team currently going through a rebuilding phase.

In other Premier Division matches scheduled for today, Cleveland host Social Club at Wellington Oval, Somerset take on St.David’s at Somerset Cricket Club while Flatts tackle St.George’s at Lords.

Premier Division action then continues tomorrow with the Island’s Under-19s travelling to Devonshire Recreation Club to lock horns with last weekend’s beaten Belco Cup finalists Social Club, Cleveland host St.David’s at Wellington Oval, Southampton Rangers host St.George’s at Southampton Oval with Flatts taking on Western Stars at Lords.

In First Division play, PHC clash with Western Counties rivals Warwick at White Hill Field tomorrow, Leg Trappers host Somerset Bridge at Sea Breeze Oval, Police take on nearby rivals Devonshire at Police Field while a resurgent Willow Cuts are pitted against Bailey’s Bay at Somerset Cricket Club.